What does dry skin look like?

What signs should you look for?

• Flakes or scales cover parts of the surface, making skin look and feel rough.
• Cracks appear as skin becomes very dry. Cracked areas can become sore, itchy and inflamed.
• Dryness affects a small area or appears more widely across the body.
• With ongoing eczema, repeated rubbing and scratching can leave thickened, leathery patches and more obvious skin lines.

Does dry skin mean eczema?

Not necessarily. Atopic dermatitis, a common type of eczema, causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, but appearance alone is not enough to identify the cause. A clinician also considers your symptoms and personal and family history. Eczema often begins with intense itching before a rash appears. Scratching can produce raw areas, leaking bumps or blisters that crust over. The patches can return to the same places.234

Inflamed eczema often looks red on lighter skin. On darker skin, affected areas can look dark brown, purple or gray, with small rough bumps. Do not use redness as your only clue: look for changes in texture, itching, warmth and swelling too. After eczema heals, the affected skin can remain lighter or darker than the surrounding skin.2

What if the scales never really go away?

Persistent, excessive scaling can occur with ichthyosis vulgaris, a usually inherited condition that causes very dry, scaly skin. It commonly starts in childhood and affects the limbs, scalp, central face and trunk, often sparing skin folds. Palms and soles can have pronounced lines or painful cracks. A clinician can distinguish this pattern from other causes of dryness.5

Is dry skin a sign of dehydration?

Dry skin is one possible symptom of dehydration, which means your body has lost more fluid than it takes in. Look for other symptoms, including strong thirst, a dry mouth, dark urine, urinating less, tiredness or dizziness. Dry skin alone does not identify dehydration. Get medical help immediately for confusion, fainting, no urination, rapid heartbeat or rapid breathing.6

How should you care for dry skin?

Emollient is the medical word for moisturizer. These products trap moisture in the skin and help relieve dryness and itching.7

1. 1Wash with a gentle cleanser or suitable emollient cleanser rather than regular soap. Keep baths or showers short and cool rather than long and hot.
2. 2Pat skin dry without scrubbing. Apply moisturizer while skin is still damp to help trap moisture.
3. 3Smooth moisturizer in the direction of hair growth rather than rubbing it in. Use a clean spoon to remove moisturizer from a tub instead of dipping your fingers into it.
4. 4Reapply whenever skin feels dry, commonly 2 to 4 times daily or more. You can use a cream in the morning and an ointment overnight.

Ointments suit very dry or thickened skin. For eczema, choose a mild, fragrance free cream or ointment. Moisturizing helps relieve discomfort and reduce flares, but eczema can also need prescribed treatment.47

When should you get medical advice?

Contact a clinician if home care does not help, symptoms worsen, or skin becomes painful or develops signs of infection. Yellow or golden crusts warrant contacting a dermatologist. Fever with blistering needs urgent assessment. Stop using a moisturizer that makes skin itchy or sore. Keep away from smoking and flames after applying paraffin based emollients. If you use a prescribed topical steroid, leave at least 30 minutes between it and your emollient.237